


Of Broken Ropes and Falling Rocks

by thefigureinthecorner



Category: Firewatch (Video Game)
Genre: Gen, Injury, Mild Hurt/Comfort, POV Second Person
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-26
Updated: 2017-08-04
Packaged: 2018-05-23 08:23:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6110689
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thefigureinthecorner/pseuds/thefigureinthecorner
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So I think we can all agree that there are a lot of moments in Firewatch where Henry could've been really seriously hurt and honestly, it's kind of amazing that he never was. I wanted to explore the 'what if's and so here we are.</p>
<p>Most of these are based on game events; a few will take place in between, during those large time skips they have. Also they're all one-shots and they happen independently of one another because otherwise that would be way too many injuries to have all in one summer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Report Climbing Accident

The rope doesn't hold out. It snaps and there’s a crack as you hit the ground.

  
You pass out for what you’re sure is only a few seconds but you almost wish it had been longer because when you become aware of yourself again all you can feel is intense pain radiating from your side and it’s hard to take a full breath. Your head won’t stop pounding, either, and you’re fairly certain you’ve got a concussion with how hazy everything feels. The radio has slipped from your grasp and is lying about a foot away, and it takes most of your energy to reach out and grab it. By the time you’ve got it back the pain has doubled and you’re trying as hard as possible not to pass out again so that you can contact Delilah and get help.

  
You push the button to talk to her and on the first try all you’re able to get out is a pained whine.

  
“Henry? What happened?” She sounds concerned.

  
“Rope snapped,” you force out, breaking off into a hiss. “Fell.”

  
“You didn’t break anything, did you?”

  
A wince, then, “I don’t know. Probably a rib. Side hurts, and head. Kinda hard to breathe all the way in.”

  
“Shit, that definitely doesn’t sound good. Um,” she pauses, takes a deep breath, “I’ll call in and try to get someone to help you. Where are you?”

  
“Shale slide, by the lake.” You know your words are slurring together and you’re fighting to stay awake between the pain and the breathing trouble.

  
“Alright, I’m gonna call now. Keep your radio on, okay?”

  
You hum in assent and you can hear her on the other end talking to the emergency services or whoever it was she was supposed to contact in situations like these. You hear the words fire and fall and hurt but other than that you zone out.

  
It feels like an eternity before she’s done. “Henry? You still with me?"

  
You hum again.

  
“They said they’ll be there soon, alright? Don’t try to move. Don’t sleep, either, since you might have a concussion. They’re sending someone to take care of the fireworks, too, so don't worry about that.”

  
You had forgotten about the fireworks.

  
Everything passes by in a blur of pain and Delilah asking to make sure you’re still awake and noncommittal responses and you're not sure how long it is until you hear the steady thrum of helicopter blades overhead but eventually you’re lifted onto a stretcher. You cry out when you’re moved, the transfer from lying on the ground to being lifted jostling you.

  
You don’t remember anything after that. You wake up some time later and they tell you that you broke a rib and that you’re lucky your concussion wasn’t too severe or you might not have woken up and that you can return to your job in a couple months once the rib has healed completely and they’re sure it’ll be able to handle the strain of all the hiking.

  
You lean your head back and sigh.

  
It’s going to be a long summer.


	2. shoe shortage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I didn't update this for like a year but, well, my Firewatch obsession has been... rekindled, for lack of a better word, and I found some finished chapters sitting around that I just never got around to editing so here's this I guess?

_Okay, well, really, what the hell did you expect would happen,_ you think, staring at your charred shoe and the smoke rising off of your leg from where the hairs had been singed. The air smells like burnt rubber and your entire left foot and shin felt like they were on fire, which isn't surprising considering that just a few seconds ago they really had been.

“Hey, uh, Delilah,” you radio in, trying to bite down the pained edge in your tone, “I screwed up. Or did my job really, really well, depending how you look at it. I definitely did just watch a fire.”

“What are you talking about? You didn't make the little fire hazards mad enough that they actually started a fire, did you?”

“I didn't even get that far. They had a campfire going, I tried to stomp it out, I didn't stomp it out properly, my leg caught fire. I gotta say, I never thought stop, drop, and roll would actually be useful in my life.”

“Well, are you alright?” You don't blame her for sounding concerned. It's been one day and not only have you had a climbing accident but you've also managed to set half your goddamn leg on fire.

“Uh,” you wiggle your leg and wince, “not particularly? I'll live, it's not like my skin’s melting off or anything, but my leg’s definitely burned and also I may or may not be short about half a shoe now.”

She huffs and there's a pause as you assume she's thinking about what to have you do. “You have a first-aid kit on you, right?”

“Yeah, uh… Yeah. It's in my backpack, hold on.” You begin digging around for it.

“There's usually something in those for burns, put some of that on there and wrap it up and that should help at the very least. Think you can make it back to your tower?”

“Yeah, probably.” The burn cream feels cool on your leg and you sigh in relief. “I think I've got enough shoe left to make it.”

“Alright, well, talk to our dumbass pyrotechnicians and then head back. I'll tell the people who manage our supplies to replace the first-aid stuff for you at the next drop-off, get you some new shoes, too.”

“Thanks. Appreciate it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Now the real fun here is considering a) how does Henry get to the supply drop and b) how does he get to the downed wire the next day


End file.
